Sugar cane planter

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure is directed to a sugar cane planter which is placed on the rear of a cane cart and which receives sugar cane stood on their butt ends at the open end of the cane cart and into which a mechanical hand will enter and grasp cane stalks and transfer the stalks rearwardly clear of the cane cart and drop same into the planting furrow as the planter moves over the ground. The mechanical hand or cane grasping means is reciprocated into and out of the hopper by a mechanism which converts the rotary motion of a power drive shaft driven from the cane cart wheels into a rectilinear reciprocating motion at a speed and in synchronism with the rate of travel of the cane cart. The mechanical hand is hydraulically operated by a master cylinder which is cam operated from the power drive shaft in synchronism with the forward and backward reciprocation of the mechanical hand.

[451 Aug. 28, 1973 SUGAR CANE PLANTER ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Charles V.Allain, 909 2nd Street,

Franklin, La. 70538 The present disclosure is directed to a sugar caneApr. 21, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 246,225

[22] Filed:

planter which is placed on the rear of a cane cart and which receivessugar cane stood on their butt ends at the open end of the cane cart andinto which a mechanical hand will enter and grasp cane stalks andtransfer [52] US. 221/185, 221/210 the stalks rearwardly clear of thecane cart and drop [51] Int. Cl. same into the plantingfurrowastheplantermoves over Field of the ground. The mechanical hand or canegrasping means is reciprocated into and out of the hopper by a mechanismwhich converts the rotary motion of a [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS power drive shaft driven from the cane cart wheels into arectilinear reciprocating motion at a speed and in synchronism with therate of travel of the cane cart. The mechanical hand is hydraulicallyoperated by a master Thibodeaux et 221/185 221/185 221/210 cylinderwhich is cam operated from the power drive a shaft in synchronism withthe forward and backward Anderson................ 1/1966 Merkireciprocation of the mechanical hand.

Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Assistant Examiner-H. Grant Skaggs,Jr.

Attorney-Wilkinson, Mawhinney & Theibault 8 claims 7 Dawn! Patented Aug.28 1973 I 3,754,682

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented. Aug. 28, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented Aug.28, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 28, 1973 3,754,682

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 SUGAR CANE PLANTER An object of the present inventionis the provision of a sugar cane planter for use with a cane cart orwagon which receives the cane resting with their butt ends sitting onthe floor of the wagon and which wagon has a pusher plate hydraulicallyoperated to move the mass of cane to the rear as shown in U. S. Pat. No.3,387,745. The presentinvention provides a hopper having a closed bottomand open end with an upwardly divergent mouth into which a hydraulicallyactuated mechanical hand is introduced to pick up and remove cane stalkssitting on their butt ends to drop them into the planting furrow.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a caneplanter mechanism, simple in construction and operation requiring aminimum of maintenance and which may be repaired or parts replaced byeven unskilled labor.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of acane planter which is positive in its action, simple in construction andwhich lays cane in a furrow without the need for complex mechanism whichrequires field service calls from the manufacturer.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sugar cane planter of the presentinvention showing its position relative to a cane wagon.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the sugar cane planter of thepresent invention with the mechanical planting hand in the open plantposition.

.FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation view similar to FIG. 2 with themechanical planting hand in the cane grasping position.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the mechanical planting hand employed withthe present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the planting hand of FIG. 4. I

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts brokenawayshowing the mechanism of the hydraulic device for opening and closingthe mechanical planting hand. v I

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of sugar cane planter ofthe present invention showing its position relative to a cane wagon.

' CANE WAGON 0R CART Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, l0 designates acane cart supported on ground transport wheels 11 carried on an axle l2.Mounted between the sides 13 of the cart is a cane pusher plate 14 movedfrom the front to the rear of the wagon by a cylinder and ram 15, 16 ofthe type shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,387,745. This wagon is built toreceive the cane stalks stood on their wardly toward the sides of thewagon to define an upward divergent mouth 19 through which the plantinghand has access to the cane.

CANE GRASPING MEANS The sugar cane stalks to be planted are grasped by ahydraulically actuated mechanical hand designated generally at 20, andwhich can be better seen and understood from reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.The hand has two jaw like members 21, 22 which are pivoted at 23 on asupport guide 24 which operates with a rod 25 passing through supportplate 26. Each jaw 21, 22 has a pivotal connection to pivotally mountedsupport links 27, 28. The operating rod 25 is pivotally connected at 29to a link 30 which is pivoted at 31 to a lug 32 secured to the supportplate. The upper end of like 30 has a pivotal connection to a ram 33actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 34.

RECIPROCATING MECHANISM The mechanism for moving the planting hand intoand out of the planting hopper, as best seen in FIG. 1 comprises a pairof beams 35, 36 each of which have major portions 35a, 36a, minorportions 35b and 36b connected by an obtuse leg 35c, 360. At theirforward ends the beams 35, 36 are joined by a spacer bar 37 while thesupport plate 26 which carries the planting hand 20 is secured to theshort or minor portions 35b, 36b by adjustable links 38 which are boltedtogether about the beams 35, 36. The beams 35, 36 are rectangular incross section and rest upon and ride in grooves 39 in the periphery ofrollers 40, 41, which are rotatably mounted in a roller support 42 whichis secured to the side walls l7, 18 of the cane hopper.

The forward portions 35a, 36a of the beams are pivotally connected at 43to lugs 44, 45 carried by a cross beam 46 which has two support arms 47,48 which are pivoted for rocking movement to the cane cart at 49, 50.This assembly is a swinging frame which reciprocates the beams 35, 36 tomove the planting hand 20 into and out of the hopper.

DRIVE SHAFT MEANS As best seen in FIG. 1, a chain drive 51, driven fromthe cane wagon axle l2 drives a shaft 52 which through clutch 53 andshifter yoke 54 communicates a mechan ical drive to a second chain drive55 which rotates square shaft 56. Secured toth e shaft 56 and rotatedtherewith are a pair of arms 57, 58 each of which has a minor portion57a, 58a and a major portion 57b, 58b.

- The free ends of the minor portions 570, 58a have butt ends and tomove the mass of stalks to the rear,

counter weights 59, 60, while the free ends of the major portions 57b,58b are pivotally connected to one end each of a pair of arms 61, 62which are pivotally connected at their other ends to the swinging frameto reciprocate the planting hand.

The clutch 53 communicates mechanical drive to shaft 52 when the yoke 54is shifted into engagement by linkage 54a actuated by lever 54b underthe control of an operator riding on the rear of the cane wagon onplatform 540. This is to disengage the drive train to the planting hand20 so that it will not be moved into and out of the planting hopper whenthe wagon is moved from one planting site to another until planting isto be commenced at which time the clutch is engaged and the entire powertrain is activated.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 6 mounted on the side of the cane wagon 10is a master cylinder 63 having a plunger 64 pivotally connected to bedriven by a pivoted cam follower arm 65 which has a roller to stay incontact and follow the external surface of a cam 66 having a lobe 67.The cam 66 is secured for rotation with the square shaft 56. The mastercylinder 63 is connected with the planting hand operating cylinder 34 byhydraulic line 68. The cam 66 may be bolted to a member secured torotate with the shaft 56 and the cam plate may have openingstherethrough to permit shifting of the cam lobe 67 relative to thesquare shaft to control actuation of the planting hand 20 as variablessuch as cane size, foleage, etc., arrise.

OPERATION loaded with seed cane stalks sitting on their butt ends.

This is with the pusher plate 14 in the forward position, to the left ofFIG. 2. When the wagon is in position over the furrow into which theseed cane is to be planted the clutch 53 is engaged by shifting thelever 54b to move the yoke 54 at which time the chain drive 51 beingdriven by the ground wheels 11 will drive shaft 52 which through chaindrive 55 will rotate square shaft 56. This causes arms 57, 58 to rotatewhich through their pivotal connections with arms 61, 62 will cause theswinging frame to swing about pivots 49, 50 and rock cross beam 46converting the rotary drive of shaft 56 to a reciprocating drive to movethe beams 35, 36 in a rectilinear motion to move the planting hand 20into and out of the cane hopper.

With the vehicle in the position shown in- FIG. 2 planting is about tobegin. As the arms 47, 48 are swung forward, to the left in FIGS. 2 and3 which moves the entrained beams 35, 35 from the position of FIG. 2 tothat of FIG. 3. The intermediate portion 350, 360 of beams 35, 36 rideover and down the rollers 39 which cause the entrained planting hand tomove toward the hopper into the mouth 19 and to descend into canegrasping relationship in the hopper as shown in FIG. 3. With the lobe ofcam 66 properly positioned when the above described movement of theplanting hand has taken place the master cylinder will spirit hydraulicfluid through line 68 to cylinder 34 which will cause the jaws 21, 22 toclose about the seed cane stalks. When the arms 57, 58 continue torotate the arms 47, 48 are then shifted to the position of FIG. 2 whichmoves the planting hand and its grasped stalks to be raised clear of thehopper and pulled rearwardly. The cam 66 then signals the hydraulicsystem to bleed off and the jaws 21, 22 drop the cane in the furrow.This sequence is continued until the wagon has traversed the length ofthe furrow. As cane is removed from the hopper the pusher plate 14 movedby the cylinder and ram l5, 16 keeps moving the cane into the plantinghopper.

A modified form of the planter of the present invention is shown in FIG.7 in which a chain drive 51a, driven from the cane wagon axle 12a drivesa shaft 52a which through clutch 53a and shifter yoke 54a communicates amechanical drive to a second chain drive 550 which rotates square shaft56a. Secured to the shaft 560 and rotated therewith are a pair of arms57c, 58c each of which has a minor portion 57d and 58d and a majorportion 57e and 58s. The free ends of the minor portions 57d and 58dhave counter weights 59a and 60a, while the free ends of the majorportions 574: and 58:: are pivotally connected to one end each of a pairof arms 61a and 624 which are pivotally connected at their other ends tothe swinging frame 46a to reciprocate the planting hand 20a.

While the planting hand in this form of the invention is constructed asdescribed herein before the reciprocating mechanism is modified overthat shown in FIG. 1. A horizontal frame is secured to the rear of thecane cart 10 and braced at 71. The horizontal members 70a are of angleiron construction to define a guide rail which acts as a track forgrooved rollers on a reciprocating carriage 72. This carriage has a pairof spaced guides 73, 74 over which a slidable support 75 is movable fromright to left and vise versa. The slidable support 75 has the plantinghand 20a mounted thereon. The carriage 72 is driven back and forth by aworm shaft 76 passing through a worm block secured to the underside ofthe carriage 75. Shaft 76 is driven by a reversible hydraulic motor 77.As the cross beam 46a rocks about the pivots 49a, 50a linkages 78, 79,one end of which is connected to the cross beam and the other-end ofeach of which is connected to the carriage 72 cause the carriage 72 toreciprocate on the horizontal members 70a toward and away from the rearopen end of the cane cart 10 so that the planting hand 20a is introducedinto the cart 10 to grasp the stalks to be planted, close upon them andthe carriage 72 is then moved rearwardly, as shown in FIG. 5 todischarge the stalks into the furrow. The hydraulic mechanism foractuating the hand 20a operates in the same manner as described in FIG.6 since the cam 66a mounted on square shaft 56a actuates the mastercylinder 63a which in turn supplies actuating fluid through line 68a tohand operating cylinder 34a. Furrow guide plates may be hung from theframe members 70 to provide a horizontal slot in vertical registry withthe furrow to guide the stalks dropped from the planting hand 200 intothe furrow.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with a cane cart supported on ground transport wheels mountedon an axle and having a cane stalk pusher plate mounted in the cart tobe moved to the rear of the cart for moving cane stalks standing ontheir butt ends to the rear of the cart; a cane planter comprising canegrasping means carried by said cart and being movable into and out ofthe rear of the cart between a cane grasping position and a caneplanting position, reciprocating means carried by said can and beingconnected to said cane grasping means for moving it between said canegrasping position and cane planting position, drive shaft means mountedon said cart and being connected to be selectively driven by the canecart axle, conversion drive means connected between said drive shaftmeans and said reciprocating means to convert the rotary drive from saiddrive shaft into a rectilinear motion to reciprocate said reciprocatingmeans, and hydraulic means connected between said drive shaft and canegrasping means to actuate said cane grasping means in timed relationshipto the over ground speed of the cane cart.

2. A cane planted as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a stalk feedhopper having an open rear end and being positioned at the rear ofthecart to receive cane stalks standing on their butt ends and fed theretoby the pusher plate.

3. A cane planter as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stalk feed hopperhas a closed bottom extending beneath the bottom of the cane cart andupwardly divergent side walls which form a mouth into which the canegrasping means is introduced to pick up cane stalks.

4. A cane planter as claimed in claim ll wherein said cane graspingmeans comprises a pair of pivotally mounted jaws movable between an openand closed position by a hydraulically actuated linkage.

5. A cane planter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reciprocating meanscarried by the cart comprises a pair of parallel mounted beams eachhaving substantially parallel legs joined by an obtuse intermediatemember, grooved roller guide means over which each leg reciprocates,means connected to and joining the rear of said legs for supporting saidcane grasping means, and means connected to the other end of said legsto impart a reciprocatory motion to said legs.

6. A cane planter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive shaft meanscomprises a square shaft journaled for rotation rearwardly of said cartaxle and chain driven thereby.

7. A cane planter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conversion drivemeans comprises a first pair of arms secured to rotate with said driveshaft means, a second pair of arms pivoted to one end of each of saidfirst pair of arms and pivoted to a pivotally mounted frame which ispivotally connected to said reciprocating means.

8. A cane planter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hydraulic meanscomprises a master hydraulic cylinder, a cam secured to rotate with saiddrive shaft means, a cam follower positioned to ride about the camsurface and being connected to said master cylinder to actuate same uponsaid follower being engaged by the cam lobe, hydraulic means for openingand closing said cane grasping means, and a hydraulic line between saidmaster cylinder and the hydraulic means for opening and closing saidcane grasping means to close said cane grasping means when saidreciprocating means is in its most forward position and to open the canegrasping means when said reciprocating means is in its rear mostposition.

1. For use with a cane cart supported on ground transport wheels mountedon an axle and having a cane stalk pusher plate mounted in the cart tobe moved to the rear of the cart for moving cane stalks standing ontheir butt ends to the rear of the cart; a cane planter comprising canegrasping means carried by said cart and being movable into and out ofthe rear of the cart between a cane grasping position and a caneplanting position, reciprocating means carried by said cart and beingconnected to said cane grasping means for moving it between said canegrasping position and cane planting position, drive shaft means mountedon said cart and being connected to be selectively driven by the canecart axle, conversion drive means connected between said drive shaftmeans and said reciprocating means to convert the rotary drive from saiddrive shaft into a rectilinear motion to reciprocate said reciprocatingmeans, and hydraulic means connected between said drive shaft and canegrasping means to actuate said cane grasping means in timed relationshipto the over ground speed of the cane cart.
 2. A cane planted as claimedin claim 1 further comprising a stalk feed hopper having an open rearend and being positioned at the rear of the cart to receive cane stalksstanding on their butt ends and fed thereto by the pusher plate.
 3. Acane planter as claimed in claim 2 wherein the stalk feed hopper has aclosed bottom extending beneath the bottom of the cane cart and upwardlydivergent side walls which form a mouth into which the cane graspingmeans is introduced to pick up cane stalks.
 4. A cane planter as claimedin claim 1 wherein said cane grasping means comprises a pair ofpivotally mounted jaws movable between an open and closed position by ahydraulically actuated linkage.
 5. A cane planter as claimed in claim 1wherein said reciprocating means carried by the cart comprises a pair ofparallel mounted beams each having substantially parallel legs joined byan obtuse intermediate member, grooved roller guide means over whicheach leg reciprocates, means connected to and joining the rear of saidlegs for supporting said cane grasping means, and means connected to theother end of said legs to impart a reciprocatory motion to said legs. 6.A cane planter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive shaft meanscomprises a square shafT journaled for rotation rearwardly of said cartaxle and chain driven thereby.
 7. A cane planter as claimed in claim 1wherein said conversion drive means comprises a first pair of armssecured to rotate with said drive shaft means, a second pair of armspivoted to one end of each of said first pair of arms and pivoted to apivotally mounted frame which is pivotally connected to saidreciprocating means.
 8. A cane planter as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid hydraulic means comprises a master hydraulic cylinder, a camsecured to rotate with said drive shaft means, a cam follower positionedto ride about the cam surface and being connected to said mastercylinder to actuate same upon said follower being engaged by the camlobe, hydraulic means for opening and closing said cane grasping means,and a hydraulic line between said master cylinder and the hydraulicmeans for opening and closing said cane grasping means to close saidcane grasping means when said reciprocating means is in its most forwardposition and to open the cane grasping means when said reciprocatingmeans is in its rear most position.